Week 54: September 19, 2011

Hello Family

I love hearing about all of your weeks past and plans for the weeks ahead, cool to get a glimpse of what everyone is doing back home. Dad it sounds like you are really going to have a busy two weeks ahead of you, that will probably be a lot of fun and an enjoyable experience with Pitney Bowes. I am really happy that you have been hired on to work at a large corporation such as them, sorry what do they specialize in again?

This past week was awesome, on Saturday we had another baptism and yesterday there were two confirmations. I was lucky enough to confirm one of the sister, always a good spiritual experience to do that. I can't believe how hot it has been here the last couple of days, it's only September but it feels like the middle of summer. I can't imagine what December is going to be like here in Mthatha haha. But we managed to break some area records in our stats this week so we are feeling pretty good about that, we just need to have more people show up for sacrament and we will be baptizing like crazy. Lots of people around here want to hear our message and we are having a hard time finding time to teach all of them, most of it is separating out the Wheat from the Tares. I really love teaching people here at the university, I can't express how cool it is. For example we will go to a lesson, and when we arrive we will find a few of our investigators friends there in the room, we teach and they become interested. Boom new investigator just like that, hows that for finding?

This internet shop is having some difficulties so I don't know if my pictures will be able to attach, hopefully this email makes it to you. wow BYU and Idaho got smashed shame I hope Idaho can pull off a win against them that's be sweet, props to BSU and Wyoming that is pretty cool they are 3-0. Colin that is so cool you went to the Georgia BSU game I am sure that was an awesome experience for you, especially since the broncos won.

Mom I received the package you sent thank you so Much for all those sweets, Australians love skittles I have come to learn. I think the Jesus The Christ you sent me is bigger than the one I had before but it is nice to have a new one anyways. That book is Lekker for studying about the savior, basically that means it is Awesome. Lekker is an Afrikaans word for Good/awesome/spectacular. Although the area I am in only speaks Xhosa, I know Afrikaans better so I tend to stick to that. I love it here, although it's an English speaking mission, you could learn a variety of languages here. I am sure happy that you are happy about moving back to PTC, I can see you now rolling around in one of those Golf Carts going to Publix or Kroger hah.

Ariel, thank you so Much for being such a good sister and doing all of that dirty work for me how cool is that. What other sister in the world would write up applications for their brother while they are on Mission.

I hope all of you have great weeks, and let me know about all of the cool experiences that you have!

until next week,
Elder Nielsen

*Chase was able to send us the pictures he talked about in the letter. Here they are, along with some of the captions:

controlled burning, yeah right

Kidi, The cutest girl ever

Latest baptism, Brother Nceba (the baptist), and Sicebise Nceba (the baptized) is planning on going on a mission soon, I say he is going to ATL and I will be his fellowshipper there, a little flipped roles type of thing. Both of these two are studying at university. The 'C' in Xhosa makes a click sound where you place your tongue right behind your front teeth and suck to make a cteh sound. this sound is found in both of their names. The clicking in Xhosa to me makes Afrikaans much easier to learn.

FHE, at university every Monday night we have a huge family home evening in one of the classrooms there, probably a 200 seater. We plan by the end of the transfer to fill in the whole class. This picture was from last monday night. Hopefully tonight we have about 30 people there. The word is going to spread like wildfire at a place like a university. A great way to teach the restoration is with a bunch of people at one time. We are super stoked about it.